Apple CEO John Ternus used his first major keynote at the Surprise and Shine event on September 9, 2026, to position the iPhone as the centre of the company's artificial intelligence strategy. Ternus asked the audience to imagine designing an AI device from the ground up, saying it would need an always-on internet connection, a sufficiently large display, high-quality cameras and microphones, long battery life and seamless compatibility with other devices. According to Bloomberg technology journalist Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter, some people within Apple believed the presentation was leading towards the unveiling of a new home-focused AI hub, but Ternus instead said there is no product better designed to be an intelligent personal hub than iPhone. The company increasingly views the device as the central piece of an AI ecosystem that will eventually include glasses, earbuds and other connected hardware. Apple faces growing competition from rivals developing AI-first hardware and services, with OpenAI working with former Apple design chief Jony Ive on new AI hardware since 2025. Reports indicate OpenAI's first dedicated device may not arrive before February 2027. Apple's description of the iPhone 18 Pro refers to the smartphone as an "intelligent personal hub" while emphasising privacy and security, and Samsung has taken a similar approach with the Galaxy S26 Ultra.